Base structure for multiple unit storage file



R. S. SHELLY Sept. 19, 1961 BASE STRUCTURE FOR MULTIPLE UNIT STORAGE FILE Filed April 30, 1958 I i f INVENTOR. ROBERT S. SHELLY ATTORNEYS 3,000,684 BASE STRUCTURE FOR MULTIPLE UNIT STURAGE FILE Robert S. Shelly, Logan, Utah, assigner to Pack Manufacturing Company, Logan, Utah, a corporation of Utah Filed Apr. 3), 1958, Ser. No. '731,988 13 Claims. (Cl. S12-253) This invention relates to base structure useful for supporting storage iiles or cabinets made up of interlocked, multiple storage units.

In my copending application Serial No, 582,803, filed May 4, 1956, entitled Multiple Unit Storage File, now Patent No. 2,872,265, issued February 3, '1959, I disclose a new type of storage receptacle unit having an elongate body of paperboard material and metal end caps, such unit being adapted to interlock in multiple to form an integrated storage tile or cabinet.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a base structure for such a multiple unit storage file or cabinet which can be easily assembled by a purchaser of the storage receptacle units and which will effectively support the interlocked units in cabinet formation above oor level and Will, at the same time, provide an accommodating recess for the toes of users standing before the cabinet.

An important feature in the accomplishment of the above object is the provision of pre-formed supporting units adapted to clip onto the front frame member (and also, if desired, to the rear frame member) of a simple base frame of rectangular formation, in side-by-side conigUOUS relationship, S as to forwardly overhang such front rail and support vertical courses of the multiple unit file or cabinet in a structurally effective and visually pleasing manner.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of the particular preferred embodiment illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. l represents a perspective View of a multiple unit storage file or cabinet conforming to the invention;

FIG. 2, a top plan of the base structure of the le or cabinet of FIG. l, an intermediate portion being broken out for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. l and drawn to a considerably enlarged scale;

FIG. 4, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line M of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5, a perspective view, looking from the rear, of one of the pre-formed supporting units which are applied to the base frame; and

FIG. 6, a plan view of a prepared blank used for bending into the major component of the supporting unit of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawing: The storage file or cabinet of FIG. l is made np of bot horizontal and vertical courses of stacked and interlocked individual storage receptacle units conforming to the disclosure of my aforementioned Patent No. 2,872,265. Each of the receptacle units 10 comprises an elongate body 11 fabricated from a non-durable but relatively inexpensive material, preferably paperboard, and end caps 1?. and 13 provided with formations 14, FIG. 2 adapted to interlock with mating formations on companion receptacle units, all as previously disclosed.

Such interlocked storage receptacle units It) are `supported in their integrated, stacked relationship by a' base structure 15, FIG. l, made up of a frame, FIG. 2, having a front frame member 16 and, in this illustrated instance,

Patented Sept. 19, 1961 a corresponding rear frame member 17, the two being connected by side frame members 1S, respectively.

The front and rear frame members 16 and 17 are advantageously pieces of ordinary 2" x 4 dimension lumber sawed to the proper width for accommodating any particular multiple unit storage tile or cabinet concerned. The side frame members 18 are advantageously each of sheet steel, having a strengthening ilange 18a bent from and extending along its top edge.

In this way, the base structure 1S may be easily fabricated on the job to appropriate width from easily procurable lumber and pre-formed side frame members, the latter being easily fastened at their ends to the ends ofthe front and rear members by nailing or screwing. When it is desired to expand the width of the multiple unit storage file or cabinet by adding more units, it is only necessary to add a supplemental base structure having frame members 16 and 17 cut to appropriate length. It should be realized, that the base frame may be made in various ways, so long as a front frame member is provided for receiving the pre-formed supporting units about to be described.

In order to easily and economically provide a structural tie-in between the multiple unit storage file or cabinet and the base structure, while retaining the expansible advantage explained above and obtaining desirable toeaccommodating space for users, as well as other advantages, such as scutf protection, ready demountability, firm front member 16, so as to secure the entire unit thereto,- and a supporting toe portion 2Gb projecting forwardly' in cantilever fashion from the frame attachment portion 20a, iiush with its top. Advantageously, as shown, the

rear of the toe portion forms at least part of the front of the frame attachment portion.

As fabricated from sheet metal7 each supporting unity 20 comprises a top plate 21, FIG. 5, a downwardly and backwardly inclined scuif plate 22 joined to the forward edge of the top plate by a line of bend 23, a depending scui apron 24 joined to the lower edge of the scuif plate by a line of bend 25, a pair of side plates 26 of triangular formation joined to the lateral edges of the scufr" plate by respective lines of bend 27, and a depending clip plate 28 joined to the top plate and depending from the rear edge thereof, the scutf plate providing the hypotenuse ofthe triangular formation of the toe portion of the unit and the rearward part of the toe plate 21 forming, in eect, an integral rearward extension of the forward part thereof which serves as the top of the clip portion 29a of the unit.

While the entire unit, as so far described, may be cut and bent to shape from a single blank of sheet steel or other suitable material, it is preferred that only the top plate, scuif plate, scuff apron, and side plates be so formed, the cut but unbent blank for same being shown in FIG, 6. The Yclip plate 28 is then attached, by welding to the top plate 21 a relatively narrow engagement plate 29, from the rear edge of which clip plate 28 is bent, as illustrated.

The engagement plate 29 serves as means for interengagement with mating means at the nndersurfaces of the front caps 12 of the storage receptacle units 10 ofv the lowermost horizontal course of same in the multiple unit storage file or cabinet. Considering the type of interengaging means provided by plate 2%, the interenexplained, it should be noted that the engag'ementplate 29 terminates short lof the tip of the toe portion of the supporting unit.

In assembling the base structure l5 for use, 'supporting units 2i) are mounted on-tlle front frame member 16 in side-by-side contiguous relationship, as shown in PEG. 2. following construction of the frame. Each of the units 20 is attached to frame member i6 by its U-shaped, frame attachment portion 20a, which, when formed as shown in FlG. 5 with clip plate Z8 slightly toed-in inwardly of the U, possesses sufficient resiliency and clip characteristics to closely hug and tightly grasp such frame member.

The storage receptacle units are set on the base frame structure l5 with their recesses Sil in mating engagement with the engagement plates .29 of the respective supporting units 2li. They are preferably set back from the tip of the toe portions Ztlb of the respective supporting units sufficiently far so that such toe portions form rest members for the doors 12a of the respective storage receptacle units of the lowermost horizontal course of same when open, see FIG. 3.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a speciiic embodiment thereof, it should be realized that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims, without departing from the essential contributions to the art made by the teachings hereof.

I claim:

l. A multiple unit storage tile, comprising a multiplicity of individual storage receptacle units interlocked in horizontal and vertical courses, each unit including an elongate body of paperboard 'material and end caps of a structurally rigid material; and a supporting base upon which the interlocked storage receptacle units rest, said base comprising a frame having affront frame member, and a series of individual supporting units mounted on and secured to said front frame member in side-byside, contiguous formation, each of said supporting units having a rearwardly disposed, frame member attach* ment portion engaging said front frame member, a toe portion projecting forwardly from said attachment por* tion in cantilever fashion, and means for securing the supporting unit to said front frame member, said toe portion being of triangular formation, having a scutf plate extending diagonally downwardly and inwardly of' the unit from the forward edge thereof providing the hypotenuse of the triangle, and a Vscuf apron depending from the lower edge of said scui plate.

2. The storage file of claim l, wherein the toe portion of each supporting unit is closed laterally by triangular side plates.

3. The storage le of claim l, wherein each supporting unit is of inverted U-formation adapted to iit over the front frame member, said unit having a top of plate formation extending rearwardly from and flush with the top of the toe portion of that supporting unit, as an integral extension thereof, and a clip plate depending from the rear edge of the said top yand toed inwardly to provide clip-like securing means for frictionall'y gripping the front frame member.

4. The storage iile of claim 3, wherein the clip plate depending from the top of the cli-p is an integral exten sion of a relatively narrow plate secured to the upper face of the top of the clip, intermediate the late-'ral margins thereof; and wherein the front end caps of the storage receptacle units of the lowermost course have their respective undersurfaces recessed to snugly receive and accommodate the relatively narrow plates at the tops of the respective supporting units.

5. The storage tile of claim 4, wherein each supporting unit, except for the relatively narrow plate and the integral extension thereof, is -bent to shape from a single pre-formed blank of sheet metal.

6. The storage l'e of claim .1, wherein interengaging means are provided on the storage receptacle units and the supporting units, respectively.

7. A supporting base structure for multiple unit stor age tiles, comprising a base frame having a front frame member adapted to receive a series of pre-formed supporting units in sideby-side relationship; a plurality of pre-formed supporting units adapted for attachment to said front `frame member, each of said supporting units comprising a rearwardly disposed 'frame attachment portion of inverted U-formation as a clip for frictional attachment over the front frame member, and a supporting toe portion cantilever to said frame attachment portion, forwardly and .substantially iiush with the top thereof, each of the supporting units comprises a part fabricated from .a single blank of sheet material and including a top plate, a downwardly and backwardly inclined scuff plate joined to 4the forward edge of the top plate by a line of bend, and a depending scuff apron joined to the lower edge of the scuff plate by a line of bend.

8. The base structure of claim 7, wherein a relatively y narrow plate member is secured to the vupper surface of the top plate in face to face relationship therewith and intermediate .its lateral margins as engaging means for a storage receptacle unit of the multiple unit storage tile, said plate member having a rearward extension bent downwardly as the rear member of the clip.

9. The base Structure of claim 7, wherein the said part, also includes a pair of side plates of triangular forma*- tion joined to the lateral edges of the scuif plate by respective lines of bend.

10.y The base structure of claim 8, wherein the narrow plate member terminates short of the tip of the cantilever toe portion, leaving said tip as a rest for an access door of the engaged storage receptacle unit.

11. A supporting unit for use with base structures of multiple unit storage files, comprising a base attachment clip portion of inverted U-formation; and a supporting toe portion cantilever to said base attachment portion. said unit including a part fabricated from a single blank of .sheet material to provide a top plate common to both said clip portion yand said toe portion, a downwardly and backwardly inclined scuif plate joined tothe forward edge of the top plate by a line of bend, and a depending scuff apron joined to the lower end of the scr-.tf plate by a line of bend; .said unit also including a clip platedepending from the rear edge of said top plate to complete said clip portion.

12. The supporting unit of claim ll, wherein the said part also includes a pair of side Plates of triangular forma-v tion joined to the lateral edges of the sculi' plate by respective lines of bend.

13. The supporting unit of claim ll, wherein the clip plate depends integrally from the rear end of a relatively narrow plate which is secured to the upper surface ofthe top plate in face to face relationship therewith and intermediate its lateral margins as engaging means for a storage receptacle unit of a multiple unit storage tile.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,683 Ketternan Sept. 5, 1965 2,432,379 Butler Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 405,840 Great Britain Feb. l5, 1934 

